Gleeson raring to go

Martin Gleeson will treat Saturday's international between Great Britain and Australia as the start of a new season if he gets the chance to end his four-month nightmare.

The former St Helens centre has been kicking his heels since June after being suspended for his part in rugby league's betting scandal.

The ban ended on the day of the Super League Grand Final and two days later he was named in coach Brian Noble's 24-strong squad for the Gillette Tri-Nations series.

Noble is keeping his team plans firmly up his sleeve but Gleeson is desperately hoping to get the nod to make his return for Britain's opening clash against the Kangaroos at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"Hopefully I can go out there and show what I can do," he said. "After I got banned, I knew I was out to the end of the domestic season and I was devastated.

"At the time, a lot of things were going through my mind but I knew there was a chance in the Tri-Nations as long as I kept myself in reasonably good shape. It was something to train for and to look forward to.

"'Nobbie' gave me that light at the end of the tunnel. I had a bit of time off and started like a mini pre-season to get myself fit for the Tri-Nations if I was selected.

"I've been training hard and doing everything off the field to get myself up to speed.

"I've been treating it like an off season, where you have some time off and then get stuck into pre-season training so that come the first game of the year, you're flying. I'm treating this as my first game of the year and hopefully I'll be flying."

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Gleeson, who was severely punished for betting on Saints to lose their Super League match at Bradford on Easter Monday by at least nine points, was beginning to recapture his best form before the suspension and was regarded as a certainty to add to his five Test caps.

His shock move to Warrington in a £200,000 transfer in July compounded the upheaval of his season but Gleeson is confident he can help produce a happy ending.

"I've been playing rugby league all my life, so four months is nothing," he said. "Hopefully, I can slot straight back in."

The 24-year-old has yet to figure in a winning team against world champions Australia but believes Great Britain have a glorious opportunity to lift the Tri-Nations crown.

"I watched the second game when we got back from Spain," he said. "It was a tough game but we're in there with a chance.

"We beat the Kiwis a couple of years ago and only narrowly lost to Australia last year. If we perform on the day, we can do it."

Hooker Danny Buderus will lead Australia on Saturday after captain Darren Lockyer was ruled out with a rib injury.